Slide lock for concrete road forms



May 15, 1962 R. E. HELTZEL 3,034,613

SLIDE LOCK FOR CONCRETE ROAD FORMS Filed Feb. 16, 1959 5 sheets sheet 1ATTORNEY 3 y 15,7962 R. E. HELTZEL 3,034,613

sum: LOCK FOR CONCRETE ROAD FORMS Filed Feb. 16, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR Robert E.Heltzel ATTORNEYS May 15, 1962 R. E. HELTZEL 3,034,613

sum: LOCK FOR CONCRETE ROAD FORMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 16, 1959 FI G .7.

INVENTOR Robert E.He|tzel Illl mlm ATTORNEYS y 1962 R. E. HELTZEL3,034,613

SLIDE LOOK FOR CONCRETE ROAD FORMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 16, 1959a M 1 2 o W m8 4 0 H m4 /3 ymm H W n l MW)? 2 m m W a Q M E FIGJZ.

FIG.9.

INVENTOR Robert E. Heltzel May 15, 1962 R. E. HELTZEL SLIDE LOCK FORCONCRETE ROAD FORMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 16, v1959 Ill/IllINVENTOR FIGJQ.

"11!; 1 111114 71 1 M V M V Q 2 4 l 7/ 7/ 7/40 VII/II b b I IE5 m w a 25 W L Roben E.Heltzel BYMMMW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,034,613SLIDE LOCK FOR CONCRETE ROAD FORMS Robert E. Heltzel, 6922 Mines Road,Warren, Ohio Filed Feb. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 793,550 3 Claims. (Cl.189-36) The present invention relates to slide lock for concreteroadforms, and has for an object to provide an applicable device arrangedbetween adjacent road forms for the purpose of aligning the same andmaintaining the road forms in such aligned and coupled condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a slide lock arranged toexpand between opposed abutments on the adjoining end portions of twoside forms for holding the side forms in aligned and abutted position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide the adjoining ends ofside road forms with shelves which, in conjunction with the top railsand side walls of the forms, provide opposed abutments for receivingthereagainst the thrust forces of two relatively movable membersinterposed between the abutments and supported thereby and moved apartby a reactive resilient force of high value.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple form ofmechanical device for expanding with high thrust pressure againstopposed abutments on the adjoining ends of two forms wherein adjustablehigh degree of resilient pressure is imposed and constantly maintainedwhile the forms are in service but which may be readily and speedilyremoved when the forms are to be disassembled.

- .Itis also an object of the invention to provide an interlockingdevice between side forms or other associated members which acts toalign the side walls or webs and also the top rails.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel form ofdevice which acts to align either the side walls or the top rails orboth of adjoining forms or members and to do so by mechanical,pneumatic, hydraulic, or other means.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and

will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appanded hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like .or correspondingparts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary isometric view showing two concrete road sideforms joined together by a slide lock constructed in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary isometric view of one end of a side formequipped with a slotted abutment shelf pursuant to the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary isometric view of the two complementary endsof road forms showing two abutments aflixed to the webs thereof;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded fragmentary isometric view of the two road formsshowing the slide lock of the invention partially in place and inpartially assembled condition;

FIGURE 5 is also a fragmentary exploded view of the ends of the two sideforms showing a completely assembled condition of the slide lock, butbefore the pressure is applied thereto;

FIGURE 6 is an exploded isometric view of the various parts of the slidelock;

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view of the assembled slide lock;

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of a modified form of slide lock asapplied to a side form indicated in broken lines;

FIGURE 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the 2 7 line 9-9 ofFIGURE 8 and showing a portion of the form side wall or web;

FIGURE -10 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 10-10 ofFIGURE 8 and showing a portion of the side form;

FIGURE 11 is an exploded side elevational view of the slide lock ofFIGURES 8-10, inclusive;

FIGURE 12 is a vertical sectional view of a side form and shelf showinga further modified form of slide lock applied thereto;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary isometric view of two road form ends showinga still further modified form of the slide lock;

FIGURE 14 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 1414 of FIGURE13.

FIGURE '15 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 15-45 ofFIGURE 14;

FIGURE 16 is a view like FIGURE 14 with the cam member rotated tolocking position and the spring plate tensioned;

FIGURE 17 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 17-17 ofFIGURE 16;

FIGURE 18 is a vertical sectional view through a road form showing apneumatic or hydraulic form of the slide lock, and

FIGURE 19 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 1-9-19 ofFIGURE '18.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A and B represent adjoiningends of two concrete road forms of conventional construction whichinclude bases '10 and 10, base flanges 11 and Ill vertical side walls orwebs 12 and 12 and top rails 13 and 13 The usual rail flanges 14, 14depend from the inner ends of the top rails 13, 13 and the conventionaldiagonal braces 15 and 15 have the stake pockets 16 and 16 As best seenin FIGURE 2, an abutment shelf or chair 17 is aflixed by an attachingflange '18 to the web 12 of one of the end sections A and includes anupstanding flange 19 along its inner edge which is spaced from and insubstantial parallelism with the web 12 and in substantially the sameplane as the rail flange 14. The shelf is provided with a slot 20.

In FIGURES 3 and 4, the companion side form B is provided with anabutment shelf or chair 21 having a 'downturned attaching flange 22welded or otherwise secured to the web 12 and also having along itsinner edge the upstanding flange 23 which is substantially parallel tothe web 12 and in substantial alignment with the rail flange 14 As,indicated in FIGURE 1, when the two side forms A and B are abuttedtogether or brought into close relationship it will be seen that theshelves 17 and 21 and their flanges 19 and 23 are in substantialalignment and registry.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 6 and 7, the improved slide lockcomprises generally a back plate 24, a front plate '25 and a bowedspring plate 34. The back plate 24 has a horizontal flange 26 and avertical flange 28 adjoining one another at two edges only of the plate24, leaving the other two edges free for the reception of the frontplate 25 which also has a horizontal flange 27 and a vertical flange 29which are respectively opposed to the horizontal and vertical flanges 26and 28 of the plate 24, so that the four flanges 26, 27, 28 and 29 inthe as sembled condition of the two plates 24 and 25 form asubstantially rectangular enclosure for receiving the spring plate 34,as shown in FIGURE 7, with the free edges of the spring plate beingreceived against the flanges 26 and From the lower horizontal flange 26of the back plate 24 may be struck out a tongue 30 which is bentdownwardly for entering the slot '20 in the shelf 17 of the side form A.

It will also be clearly observed from FIGURE 6 that the back plate 24 isprovided with a slot 31 with which register perforations 32 and '33 inthe front plate 25 and in the spring plate 34. Through these registeringperforations in the slot 31 is received a bolt 35 having a head 36 whichmay be countersunk in the face of the back plate 24, which engagesagainst the web 12 and 12 (FIGURE in order that the bolt head notpresent any obstruction but will permit the outer surface of the backplate 24 to engage in its entirety and slide upon the inner surfaces ofthe webs 12 and 12 The bolt is also preferably provided with a square orstraight lined section 39 adjacent its head to engage the walls of theslot 31 for the purpose of preventing rotation of the bolt 35 when thewasher 37 and nut 38 are applied thereto outwardly of the bowed portionof the spring plate 34.

In the use of the device, the side form adjoining ends A and B arebrought into juxtaposition but before they are brought too close tocause any interference the assembled slide lock, as shown in FIGURE 7,is introduced into the slideway which is provided by the rail 13, itsflange 14 and the shelf 17 and its flange 19. The distance between theshelf 17 and the rail head 13 will be preferably somewhat in excess ofthe height of the slide lock between the flanges 26 and 27, it beingunderstood that the flange 26 will rest upon the shelf 17 while theupper flange 27 will eventually be wedged up against the inner surfaceof the rail 13. The flanges 26, 27, 28 and 29 are also of a depth justslightly less than the distance across between the flange 14 and the Web12 and between the flange 19 and the web 12 so that the slide .lock maybe rocked into position with its tongue 30 sliding over the short blankportion 40 of the shelf 17 until such tongue 30 arrives at the slot 20into which it will drop, allowing the bottom flange 27 then to contactand slide upon the shelf 17. FIGURE 5 shows the position of the slidelock on entry of the tongue 30' into the slot 20. In this position aportion of the slide lock is entered between the rail head 13 and theshelf 17. The slide lock then may be adjusted back and forth in theslideway with a portion thereof projecting out from the side form A andthereupon the adjoining end of the side form B is advanced toward theside form A in the position so that the slideway thereof may fit overthe slide lock in the manner shown in FIGURES 1 and 4. FIGURE 1 showsthe final position of the slide lock. After the section B is assembledto the section A and interengaged with the slide lock, the nut 38 isrotated against the washer 37 in order to spread the edges of the springplate 34 which are in engagement with the flanges 26 and 27. Thisexpansive action will tend to move the back plate 24 downwardly and thefront plate 25 upwardly. Thus the flange 26 will be urged strongly downagainst the shelves 17 and 21 while the upper flange 27 will be urgedfirmly up against the inner surfaces of the rail heads 13, 13. As aresult the two forms will be strongly bound together against anyaccidental separation and the rail heads will also be held to a veryclose alignment which is desirable for the smooth passage from one railto the other of the wheels of road-making machines.

The parts are, or may be, all of metal. The tongue 30 will anchor theslide lock to the road form A and will hold the slide lock in place onthe side form A when the side form B is being pulled away from thecompanion side form A when disassembling the side forms. After assemblythe slide lock may be rocked out of the slideway of the side form A bypushing downwardly upon the upper flange 27 when the tongue '30 hasreached the end of the slot 20.

The parts 13, 13 and 17, 21 constitute opposed abutments for receivingthe thrust of the flanges 26, 27 when the spring plate 34 is put underelastic tension by the pressure of the nut 38 and washer 37 on itsintermediate offset or displaced portion and in so doing the plate 34will be put under strong elastic stress which will cause it to react byspreading outwardly in the direction of the flanges 26 and 27. Byloosening the nut 38, this elastic distortion will be relieved and theplate 34 will follow the washer 37, pushing the same against theloosened nut 33 until the spring plate 34 returns to its normal unsprungcondition.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 8 to 11, inclusive, 24 and 25designate slide plates or expansion members disposed one above another.The lower plate 24 has a bottom flange 26 adapted to rest on theabutment shelves 17, 21 of the adjacent ends of adjoining road forms Aand B. The upper slide plate 25 is provided with a top flange 27positioned to engage beneath the rail heads 13, 13

In FIGURES l0 and 11, the numeral 45 designates a lapped relationshipbetween the slide plates 24 and 25 to permit relative sliding movement.

As best seen in FIGURES 9 and 11, the slide plates 24 and 25 are alsoprovided with side or vertical flanges 28 and 29 The expanding springplate or member 34 is engaged at its ridge 46 by arcuate earns 47 and 48on a rotary cam disc 49 having a square stud 50 projecting outwardlytherefrom through an opening 51 in a cover plate 52 provided with sideor vertical flanges 53, 54 fitted outwardly of the side flanges 28 29 ofthe slide plates 24 25, as best seen in FIGURE 9.

A limit slot is made in the cover plate 52 (FIGURE 8) in which isslidably received a rivet or other stop member 56, the same beingfixedly mounted through a hole 57 in the upstanding flange 19 of theshelf 17.

In operation, application of a wrench or other device to the externalstud 50 to give added mechanical advantage will enable the operator toreadily rotate the cam r disc 49 about the bearing 51 in the cover plate52, causing the inclined edges of the arcuate cams 47 and 48 to rideupon the ridge 46 of the expanding spring plate 34, causing the same toflatten out or tend to flatten out to place the plate under elasticstress. The initial movement of the cams will cause the rotary cam disc49 to push the cover plate 52 up against the flanges 14, 19, and thespring plate 34 out against the slide plates 24 and 25*, which willdevelop thrust upon the two side forms in a substantially horizontaldirection tending to align the vertical walls or webs 12., 12*. As thecams continue in rotation, the spring plate 34 will be expandeddiametrically and as the lower edge of this spring plate engages thebottom fiange 26 and this latter flange, as shown in FIGURE 10, restsupon the shelf or abutment 17, the effective work performed by theexpanding spring plate 34 will be to lift the top flange 27 and with itthe upper slide plate 25. As this movement is communicated to theadjoining ends of both side forms A and B, the rlgsuits will be ahorizontal alignment of the rail heads Consequently, with this form ofthe invention two resultants are secured, the one, a registration of thevertical edges of the webs 12 and 12 and secondly, the arcuateregistration of the rail head 13, 13 These actions are secured by amovement of one member, namely, the cover 52 against the flanges orvertical abutments 14, 19, and by the movement angular thereto of thetop flange 27 beneath the rail heads 13, 13

The cover plate 52 in addition to its thrust function acts to enclosethe device preventing the entrance of concrete thereto.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 12, a form of the invention isillustrated eliminating the side plates 24' and 25 with the upper andlower edges of the spring plate 34* engaging directly the abutments 13,17. In this instance the cover plate 52 is provided with a threadedopening 51 to receive a screw 58 positioned to engage the ridge 46 ofthe spring expansion plate.

In operation of this form of the invention, assuming the initialposition of the spring plate 34 m be that shown in FIGURE 12 with itslower edge engaging both form walls or webs 12, 12 and also both bottomabutments 17, 21, rotation of the screw 58 in a direction toward theridge 46' will first cause the cover plate 52 to back up against thehorizontal abutments 14, 19 and 14 23 to cause aligning of the verticaljoint between the walls or webs 12 and 12 The abutments 14, 19' and 14,23 thereupon arrest any further outward movement of the cover plate 52so that the further rotation of the screw 58 will cause the upper edgeof the spring expanding plate 34 to rise beneath the rail heads 13, 13and thus bring the same into accurate horizontal alignment. In this waythe cover plate 52*, moving in a horizontal direction away from thespring plate 34 performs one aligning function and the lifting of theupper edge of the spring plate 34 in a direction angularly to thedirection of movement of the plate 52 performs a second aligningfunction. Otherwise stated, the screw 58 when turned in one directionmoves or tends to move the plates 34 and 52 apart horizontally and thengoes on to spread or tend to spread the upper and lower edges of thespring plate 34*.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 13 to 17, inclusive, the springexpansion plate 34 is provided with a top flange 34 and a bottom flange34 in order to give additional areas of purchase against theundersurfaces of the rail heads 13, 13 and against the shelves 17, 21.

In this form of the invention the flanged cover plate 52 has a circularhole 51 into which is fitted the circular bearing hub 60 of the rotarycam disc 49, the same giving continuous bearing support for the cam discand the cams throughout the entire 360 degrees of the circle. The squarestud 50 projects outwardly from the hub 60.

Additionally, this form of the invention shows arcuate outwardlyinclined cam walls 47 and 43 leading in opposite circular directions tothe low points 49 of the cams while oppositely sloping walls 47 and 48are shown sloping to the high points 49 of the cams. With thisarrangement the cam disc 49 may be rotated indiscriminately in right orleft hand direction without causing any injury to the spring plate 34which would otherwise occur by reason of the sharp edges of the highpoints of the cams dropping off abruptly to the low points and,therefore, leaving the spring plate unprotected from scarring andgrooving by such sharp edges in the event the cam disc was inadvertentlyrotated in a direction in which such sharp edges would lead.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 18 and 19, 61 represents abladder or resilient container for air or hydraulic fluid which may beinserted in the slideways bridging the two forms or other members andhaving an inflatable air hose connection 66 or connection for bydraulicfluid by which the resilient container 61 may be expanded in twodirections against the vertically opposed abutments and also against thehorizontally opposed abutments. It is proposed in this connection toprovide wear plates upon the bladder, preferably metal plates which maybe affixed with suitable adhesive to the outer walls of such bladder andbe of sizes to fit against the various abutments as this will give formto the bladder or air container and also will confine its expansivemovements directionally to the opposed abutments in the slideways. Theseplates may comprise a rail plate 62, a shelf plate 63, a web plate 64and a flange plate 65.

It will be appreciated that the back plate 24 of the form of inventionshown in FIGURES 1 to 7 inclusive constitutes in effect a thrust memberinasmuch as it absorbs the thrust of the bolt 35 when the nut 38 istightened against the ridge of the spring plate 34. Similarly in theform of invention shown in FIGURE 12 where a screw 58 is employedinstead of the nut and bolt, the thrust member is the plate 52 while inFIGURES 8, 9, and 11 the plate 52 is the thrust member. In FIG- URES 13to 17 inclusive the front plate 52 constitutes the thrust member.

The spring plate 34 (FIGURES 1 to 7), 34 (FIG- URES 8 to 12) and 34(FIGURES 13 to 17) constitutes a resilient expansible member.

In FIGURES 1 to 7 inclusive the nut 38 and bolt 35 constitute anexpander member, which function is performed by the screw 58 in FIGURE12 and by the earns 47, 48 in FIGURES 8 to 11 inclusive, and by the cams47, 48 in FIGURES 13 to 17.

The abutments 17, 21 constitute with the top rails 13 and 13 slidewaysfor receiving the slide lock of the invention, which slide lock isadapted to be expanded vertically incident to the stressing of theresilient expansible member.

Although I have disclosed herein the best forms of the invention knownto me at this time, I reserve the right to all such modifications andchanges as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use with adjacent ends of road forms or the like includingvertical webs, top rails, and slideways with abutments spaced below andin substantial alignment with the top rails, a slide lock slidablefreely in the slideway in contracted condition comprising a thrustmember, a resilient expansible member, and an expander member carried bythe thrust member and exposed beyond the slide lock on the outside ofthe forms between the slideway and top rails for accessibility inoperation, said resilient expansible member having an intermediateoffset portion with upper and lower ends binding in the expandedcondition the slide lock against the top rails and the slidewayabutments, said expander member having a part engaged with the offsetportion of the expansible member and movable relatively to theexpansible and thrust members for stressing the resilient expansiblemember into expanded condition rigidly maintaining the abutting ends ofthe top rails in alignment, the said expander member part having arotary movement against the resilient expansible member and beingpositioned outwardly of both the expansible and thrust members, theexpander member being a nut and bolt with the bolt non-rotatably held inthe thrust member and passing through the resilient expansible member,the nut being rotatably mounted upon the outer projecting end of thebolt beyond the resilient expansible member.

2. For use with adjacent ends of road forms or the like includingvertical webs, top rails, and slideways with abutments spaced below andin substantial alignment with the top rails, a slide lock slidablefreely in the slideway in contracted condition comprising a thrustmember, a resilient expansible member, and an expander member carried bythe thrust member and exposed beyond the slide lock on the outside ofthe forms between the slideway and top rails for accessibility inoperation, said resilient expansible member having an intermediateoffset portion with upper and lower ends binding in the expandedcondition the slide lock against the top rails and the slidewayabutments, said expander member having a part engaged with the offsetportion of the expansible member and movable relatively to theexpansible and thrust members for stressing the resilient expansiblemember into expanded condition rigidly maintaining the abutting ends ofthe top rails in alignment, said slide lock further comprising a frontplate positioned outwardly of the thrust member and shiftable up anddown relatively to the thrust member, said thrust member and front platehaving parts engaging the top rails and the abutments of the slidewayand receiving internally thereagainst the upper and lower ends of theresilient expansible member.

3. For use with adjacent ends of road forms or the like includingvertical webs, top rails, and slideways with abutments spaced below andin substantial alignment with the top rails, a slide lock slidablefreely in the slideway in contracted condition comprising a thrustmember, a resilient expansible member, and an expander member 5 carriedby the thrust member and'exposed beyond the slide lock on the outside ofthe forms between the slideway and top rails for accessibility inoperation, said resilient expansible member having an intermediateofiset portion with upper and lower ends binding in the expandedcondition the slide lock against the top rails and the slidewayabutments, said expander member having a part engaged with the ofisetportion of the expansible member and movable relatively to theexpansible and thrust members for stressing the resilient expansiblememher into expanded condition rigidly maintaining the abutting ends ofthe top rails in alignment, said slide lock further comprising stopmembers carried between an abutment and the slide lock for limiting thesliding movement of the lock, in which said stop members comprise a slotin the slideway and an outstanding tongue on the lock extending into theslot, the over-all height of the slide lock in contracted conditionbeing sufiiciently less than the distance between the slideway abutmentsand the top rails to permit the lock to be rocked onto the slidewayuntil the tongue arrives at the slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,690,295 Heltzel Nov. 6, 1928 2,750,014 Gordon June 12, 1956 2,844,234Brandes July 22, 1958 2,888,112 Keller May 26, 1959

